Black children are almost twice as likely as white children to develop atopic dermatitis, a form of eczema, and the effects of eczema tend to be more severe in dark skin tones. Along with the typical eczema symptoms of itchiness and flakiness, darker skin can experience temporary changes in skin color due to inflammation.

Sarika Manoj Ramachandran, M.D., an ABMS board-certified dermatologist and medical director of Yale Medicine in Branford, Connecticut, and associate professor of dermatology at Yale School of Medicine, discussed the prevalence of eczema in darker skins and treatment methods in an article from Healthline.

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In dark skin, eczema may be darker brown or gray or have a purplish hue and it is typical for darker skin to have less redness than lighter skin types. It is also common to see fine scaling and bumps around the hair follicles.

Ramachandran suggests the disparity in eczema prevalence among darker skin could be due to environmental triggers, socioeconomic status and healthcare access. There is also the chance of genetic and biological influences, but more research on the subject is required. Ramachandran said it is important for healthcare professionals to learn to recognize the changes in eczema symptoms in darker skin types to avoid delaying treatment or misdiagnosing.

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Apr 7th, 2022 – Tony Scianna